Substitutes step up as Chelsea snatch 3-2 comeback win over West Ham

LONDON, Jan 31 : Chelsea battled from two goals down to beat West Ham 3-2 in the Premier League on Saturday with a stoppage-time Enzo Fernandez winner crowning the second dramatic comeback win in four days for the Blues under new coach Liam Rosenior.

The Hammers, struggling in the relegation zone, took full advantage of a careless performance in the first half by Chelsea, who started with key players on the bench after beating Napoli 3-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The visitors went ahead in the seventh minute when a cross by captain Jarrod Bowen went in at the far post and half an hour later Crysencio Summerville connected with a cutback from Aaron Wan-Bissaka to double their lead.

With boos from the home fans ringing in his ears, Rosenior made three substitutions at the break, setting Chelsea on their way to what was looking like an unlikely win with two of the replacements - Joao Pedro and Marc Cucurella - scoring to bring the hosts level.

 In the 57th minute, Joao Pedro headed home from a Wesley Fofana cross, triggering wave after wave of Chelsea attacks, and in the 70th Cucurella brought Chelsea level with a diving header after the ball rebounded off the crossbar.

West Ham defender Jean-Clair Todibo wasted a chance to put the visitors back in front in the 86th minute before Fernandez completed Chelsea's comeback. Two minutes into added time, the Argentina World Cup winner timed his run into the box perfectly to connect with a pass from Joao Pedro.

Rosenior told reporters he understood the frustration of the Stamford Bridge crowd at the break.

"I would have booed us in the first half. Our performance was nowhere near the level it needed to be," he said. "So to see them after the game, 45 minutes later, so happy